After 17 years on the watchlist of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), a 59-year-old notorious drug baron, Ogbonnaya Kevin, has been apprehended in his hideout in the Ojo area of Lagos State.
Ogbonnaya, a key figure in a global drug trafficking syndicate, had masterminded multiple illicit drug shipments worth billions of naira across various countries, including South Korea. His arrest marks a major victory in NDLEA’s crackdown on international narcotics operations.
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), disclosed the details of Ogbonnaya’s capture at a press conference in Abuja on Monday. He explained that the agency’s Special Operations Unit, acting on intelligence from the National Intelligence Service of South Korea and an INTERPOL Red Notice, successfully tracked him down.
“The major development that warranted this special briefing pertains to the arrest of a drug lord who is wanted across the world as the leader of an international drug trafficking organisation,” Marwa announced. “On Wednesday, 12th February 2025, we achieved that objective in the successful arrest of Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff.”
He revealed that Ogbonnaya had been actively recruiting young Nigerians as drug couriers to smuggle illicit substances into South Korea. Several Nigerians arrested abroad for drug-related offences were traced back to his syndicate.
Investigations uncovered that Ogbonnaya laundered drug proceeds through the importation of electronics and other goods. A search of his residence led to the discovery of multiple Nigerian international passports with Korean visas, as well as illicit substances stored at the back of his house.
“Ogbonnaya Kevin Jeff is not a typical domestic drug baron; he is an international trafficker operating both from Nigeria and abroad. His dossier indicates that he served a one-year prison sentence in the Republic of Korea in 2007 and was deported to Nigeria in 2008. Despite this, he continued his illicit trade, remaining actively involved in drug trafficking operations to the Far East,” Marwa stated.
The suspect previously served a one-year prison sentence in South Korea in 2007 before being deported to Nigeria in 2008. However, he resumed his illicit trade, orchestrating drug shipments remotely.
Ogbonnaya is wanted in South Korea for multiple drug trafficking offences, leading to two arrest warrants issued by the Seoul Central District Court in 2024.
Marwa detailed how Ogbonnaya shipped over N1.4 billion worth of narcotics to South Korea, using elaborate concealment techniques.
“On 5th October 2023, at a location in Burkina Faso, the suspect dispatched 6,051.06 grams of skunk, concealed in dried chillies and jujube, to a Korean, Kim Dong Wook at a designated address in Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea. The package arrived at Incheon Airport on 19th October 2023 at 07:20 am via Air France.”
Authorities have also identified his key operatives, including domestic and international drug couriers who facilitated shipments.
Marwa reaffirmed NDLEA’s dedication to ensuring Nigeria does not become a hub for global drug trafficking.
“The arrest of Ogbonnaya is therefore an affirmation of our resolve to work with our international partners to ensure no drug baron finds Nigeria a comfort zone to distribute illicit substances within the country or traffic them to other countries.”
With his arrest, NDLEA has struck a significant blow against international drug syndicates, reaffirming its mission to combat narcotics trade and safeguard national security.
